Thursday, December 19, 2013

Thoughts for Thursday is a feature hosted by Musings on Fantasia and LKHill.In this meme, we share thoughts or quotes that we know or have recently come across. Each week there is a specific subject or theme. These can be quotes from books, quotes by famous people, (quotes by YOU, perhaps ;D). Anything from anywhere is game, though we do ask that you keep your quote to a few sentences at most. Don't quote, for example, entire passages of a book or essay. These can be funny quips, cool sayings, hair-raising antidotes, movie lines, any kind of quote you can think of!Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!This week's theme is optimism. I've had a remarkably disheartening week, so I really needed this topic this week. (For even more quotes, visit my other blog.)

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.--Dr. Seuss

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.--Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.--Anne Frank

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.--Winston Churchill

Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.--Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.--Helen Keller

Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable.--Voltaire

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read• Open to a random page• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's teasers come from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's kind of weird reading this book because the main character shares my name--same spelling and everything--and my name is unique enough that I don't run into it every often. It's kind of freaking me out. :D

"For now, Rudy and Liesel made their way onto Himmel Street in the rain. He was the crazy one who had painted himself black and defeated the world. She was the book thief without words.

Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain."

Monday, December 16, 2013

Did you know...?That despite pervasive rumors lasting more than ninety years that when the Romanovs--the Russian royals who's family dynasty had ruled for three hundred plus years--were assassinated in 1918, two of the children somehow survived, the rumors have now been laid to rest?It's true. Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia, abdicated the previous year as the Boleshevik Revolution got underway. He and his family were banished to Siberia. Yet, a year later, they were gunned down by the Red Guard on the orders of Vladimir Lenin.Rumors that the Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest girl, and her little brother, Yuri, the only boy and heir to the Russian throne, survived because they had diamonds sewn into their clothes that might have deflected the bullets.For years, rumors, stories, and legends have circulated about what might have happened to the two children. Countless individuals have turned the spotlight on themselves, claiming to be direct descendants of the Romanovs, or even the missing children themselves.When it was revealed in 1991 that a grave with the Romanov skeletons had been unearthed, and two were absent, these stories seemed to be validated, but not for long. In 2007, a second grave, only 70 yards from the first, was unearthed. In it were the charred remains of two small skeletons, giving credence to reports that the Red Guard at first tried to burn the bodies, but upon realizing they didn't have the resources, sorted to simple burial instead.Since then, DNA evidence has proved without a doubt that this is, indeed, the entire Romanov family. (Source).So, what's the point of telling you all this? I have two reasons for bringing it up.1) Obviously, this tragic tale is would be an intriguing backdrop for a historical fiction. And yet, this story has--no pun or disrespect meant--been done to death. There are so many stories in so many formats and from so many different aspects that have been built off this legend.So my question to you is this: Can anyone think of a great aspect of this historical tale or time period that hasn't been done yet? If you were given this as a backdrop for any story, but you had to incorporate the deaths of the Romanovs, how would you handle it? Just wondering. I'll answer it myself, either in the comments or a later post, but I'd like to hear others' take of it, first.2) My second reason for posting about this is that it is Russian history. My historical fiction novel due out in May 2014, is about Russian history. Granted, Ivan the Terrible, whose reign is the backdrop for my book, was three hundred years before Nicholas II, but there are more ties between the two than the obvious both-of-them-were-Russian-rulers aspect.You see, Ivan the Terrible, who ruled in the 1500s, overlapping somewhat with Elizabeth I of England's reign, married a beautiful young lady by the name of Anastasia Romanovna. Now, at that time, her family was noble, but not royal. Her marriage to Ivan brought her family up in society, and for the next 300 years, the Romanov clan was considered royalty and often produced the Russan rulers. Their reign only ended when Nicholas II and his family were assassinated just prior to World War I.

So, as you can see, this story interests me. In truth, most Russian history interests me. Russians know their own history very well, but not many in the U.S. are aware of it, and I think they ought to be (hence my book) even if Russian history is full of such tragedy and gore as to make U.S. history seem like an after-school special.But I think we're blessed in the U.S. to have a more tame history, one where it's people haven't had to live through the horrors and heartache that Russian life--especially that in the Middle Ages under Ivan's rule--brought.So, tell me what you think of this story, and if you're interested in the details of my book, they are posted below. Happy Monday, Everyone!

In a world where power is paid for in blood, no one ever aspires to more than what they were born to, and danger hides in plain sight, Inga, a maid in the imperial Russian palace, must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth.

Inga’s life in sixteenth century Russia is bleak until a man she crossed paths with as a child returns to the Kremlin. Taras is convinced his mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident and has returned to try and discover what really happened, all during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit the throne of Russia.

While Taras finds only lies and silence where he seeks truth, Inga struggles with the feelings of oppression that have plagued her for most of her life. Taras gives her the chance to leave her loneliness behind forever, but the cost and future of such a liaison is uncertain and Inga is afraid.

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them all, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!Bookselling Time: Go to your biggest bookcases. Go to the second shelf from the top and pick out the sixth book from the left. Handsell that book to us - even if you haven’t read it or if you hated it.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Last week, I read Cinderskella, the middle grade debut novel of my friend and fellow JFP author, Amie Borst. Her daughter, Bethany, is her co-author.Plot: Cindy is a typical junior high girl with a best friend and a crush. Until the day she is called home from school to the bedside of her dying mother. Not long after her mother passes, while alone in her room, Cindy looks down and finds that her skin is gone, along with all muscle and everything else except the bones. She is a skeleton! It seems she turns into a skeleton when night falls, but then back into herself with the dawn. Now Cindy, who dubs herself Cinderskella, must deal with her curse, getting her dad to accept her, and exploring the world--especially the cemetary!--after dark. Things take a complicated twist when Cindy makes her way into an underworld-type plane and then her father brings home a "new mom" who has two bratty daughters of her own.

On Christmas Eve, 1945, the home of George and Jennie Sodder burnt to the ground. The Sodders lived near Fayette, West Virginia and had ten children, nine of whom were under their roof that night for the holidays. The only one missing was one of older boys who was serving in the army. The fire started in the middle of the night and, sadly, only four of the nine children made it out of the house. The oldest son and Mr. Sodder did everything they could to get back inside. The staircase leading to the second level where the other five children had been sleeping was engulfed in flames. Mr. Sodder kept a ladder by the side of the house. Always. But when he went to retrieve it, it was gone. The water sources around the house were frozen solid with the cold weather. In desperation, they tried to start their trucks, hoping to bring them to he side of the house and stand on them to reach the second level. The trucks, though they'd run just fine hours before, refused to start.The house burnt to ashes in less than 45 minutes. The small town police department didn't arrive until dawn. Then the true oddities of the situation began to emerge. In the crematoriums of the time, it took 2 hours at 2000 degrees to incinerate bone. It's impossible to gauge the temperature of the fire, but it burnt out in less than an hour, which means five skeletons should have been found in the aftermath. Not a single one was.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read• Open to a random page• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teasers come from Cinderskella, the debut middle grade novel of my friend and fellow JFP author, Amie Borst. A cool fact: it was co-written by her teenage daughter, Bethany.

Not the vines! Last time I'd seen them they tried to pull me into the ground. I let out a scream. "I do believe in spooks--I mean magic. I do believe in magic. I do, I do, I do."

"You all right, sugah?" Ms. Wanda extended her hand, reaching for me. Except it was all bone. There was no skin. Her hand was a boney, white skeleton. A bony, white skeleton hand holding a bouquet of roses.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Lately I've read several non-fiction books about publishing, marketing, upping visibility, and book marketing strategy. I've gotten a lot out of them and thought I would share them. They've got some great information and tips for struggling writers, and I think anyone in this industry would get a lot out of them.

I just finished reading this one and it's EXCELLENT! A bit long--about 350 pages--but chalk full of great stuff. I've followed Johanna's blog for months, now, and bought this awhile ago, but it's been sitting on my kindle since then. I finally read it and am so glad I did. I literally took five pages of notes that I'm now using to put together a marketing plan for 2014. (I'll talk more about that as we get closer to the end of the year, but I'm definitely looking ahead already.)I would highly recommend this to any struggling writer who wants to improve their visibility, their book's marketability, and overall improve their sales. I think this is especially for those author's who've established a base but want to step up their game. A great read! Kindle edition sells for $5.99. (Link below)

Self-Printed: The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing by Catherine Ryan HowardThis is a great book for the author that's just starting out and needs some direction for building their platform and starting a presence through social media. It explains the basics of things--everything from what the difference between self and traditional publishing is to why a social media presence is important for authors today. The information in is very good and it's very affordable. I would recommend it to anyone just starting out, though I'll admit that by the time I read it, I already knew most of the information given. If you've already got a book out, or are otherwise fairly immersed in the publishing world, this might be a little too basic for you.Kindle edition sells for $4.49 (Link Below)

How I Sold 1 Million Ebooks in 5 Months by John LockeThis book is very short and to the point, and I liked that about it. Locke lays out the techniques that worked for him. His tips are especially great for using blog posts to sell books, and I felt like a learned a lot. Of course, these are also the kind of strategies that work for some and not others. The world of blogging and the internet is constantly shifting and trends rise and fall, so you can't necessarily expect to do exactly what he did and see the same level of success. Still, it doesn't hurt to try and absorb his tips into your own writing and marketing efforts. Definitely worth a read!Ebook only. Sells for $2.99 (Link Below)

Building Your Book for Kindle by Kindle Direct PublishingThis is basically a how-to manual for formatting an ebook so it's suitable for kindle. A great guide if you've never done it before. If you have, or you use other methods, skip it.Ebook only. FREE! Yeah!

Has anyone else read any of these? What did you think of them? Do you have any suggestions that aren't on this list (I'd love more suggestions for myself to read!)?

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!What's your favorite Thanksgiving Day food?I think I gotta go with the pies! I usually contribute side dishes and desserts to the family dinner. (Our family dinners include 30+ people). I did the classic banana and chocolate cream, plus my famous pumpkin desert. I've never been big on pumpkin pie. (Yes, throw tomatoes if you must) Having a sweet tooth, I just need sweeter things in order to consider them a real desert, so I made up my own pumpkin desert recipe, and the entire fam loves it! It's a layer of graham cracker crust, a cream cheese layer over that, and then the pumpkin/pudding layer. Basically it's vanilla pudding, flavored with pumpkin puree, and heavy on the spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. So, it's a sweet and spicy pumpkin desert, cooled by the cream cheese, and it's a huge hit! That's what's in the square pan. And then there's the peanut butter cream pie. That's actually different this year. I usually contribute a peanut-butter pie, but I used a different recipe this year.So, what's your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Thoughts for Thursday is a feature hosted by Musings on Fantasia and LKHill.In this meme, we share thoughts or quotes that we know or have recently come across. Each week there is a specific subject or theme. These can be quotes from books, quotes by famous people, (quotes by YOU, perhaps ;D). Anything from anywhere is game, though we do ask that you keep your quote to a few sentences at most. Don't quote, for example, entire passages of a book or essay. These can be funny quips, cool sayings, hair-raising antidotes, movie lines, any kind of quote you can think of!Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!Welcome to the Thanksgiving edition of this feature! Here are some great thoughts on the holiday. Feel free to chime in with your own! I'd love to hear'em! :D (For even more quotes, visit my other blog.)

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Hello Everyone! I hope you're all having a great week! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving (A-whoo-hoo!) and I'm baking up a storm, but looking forward to this great holiday with the family!So, three orders of business today:1) NaNo Updates. I'm at 46,453 words in November, which puts me at 60,147 words for my novel overall. I've written 15 out of 23 chapters, and have three days to write 3,547 words. Will the book be done at 50, 000 words? Um...no. Even I can't get through eight chapters in 3,500 words. I'm thinking will be more in the 70,000-90,000 range, but by the time November is over, I'll have most of it. (Yippee!)2) Here's some Hump Day Humor to get you through to Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

I bet he only eats 'Dark' meat!

3) Looking for some great Thanksgiving stories? A couple of years ago now, one of my stories (a true one, as it were) was accepted for a Thanksgiving anthology called Thanksgiving Tales, edited by Brian Jaffe. You can find both the print and kindle versions HERE on Amazon, and Amazon prime members can read it for free. I make no money on the sale, but have read most of the stories in it myself, and they range from funny to touching. My story, if anyone is interested, is called Hill vs. Hill vs. Hill. It chronicles our yearly family football game. Let's just say, hilarity generally ensues.Anyway, I'll be doing a Thanksgiving edition of Thoughts for Thursday tomorrow, but I know plenty of people will be off the net, so if you won't be online tomorrow, let me wish you the HappiestofThanksgiving holidays!Cheers!Will you be online on Thanksgiving Day?

Monday, November 25, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

So I came across a seriously crime tidbit this past week and thought I'd share it today. But first, NaNoWriMo updates!As of yesterday, I've written 39,460 words for NaNo, which equals 53,154 words for my book, Desolate Mantle. I'm going to press through and try to hit the 50,000 word count this week, which means I have 10,000 words to write in the next five days. Participating writers can start uploading their manuscripts for validation today. I'm not done yet, but I hope to finish by the 30th. Wish me luck!(P.S. If anyone's looking for some great Thanksgiving stories, check out this anthology. I don't make any money on the sale of it, but I do have a story in there entitled Hill vs. Hill vs. Hill about our annual family football game. All the stories in it are pretty great.)

Did you know...About a girl named Elisa Lam who was killed in L.A. in February of this year? It seems I'm a bit late to this story, but I stumbled across the security cam footage which has gone viral on internet since it was first released. And it's seriously creepy!The facts:

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

We're more than half way through the month and, if many of you are like me, your behind on your word count and overwhelmed at thoughts of catching up and/or trying to finish your novel in the next 10 days. I feel ya. I can't seem to get caught up to what my word count needs to be, but I'm trying hard! So, here are some tips for pushing through and hitting your goals.1. Re-structure your goals.Especially if you're behind, look at what you have left to do and what the rest of your month looks like. Maybe adjust the daily word count or try to squeeze in some extra sessions. 2. Re-think your schedule. You might consider going without a couple of hours sleep here or there, or just cancelling something else you have planned. If so far, something or some time you've planned to write didn't work out, there's a good chance it won't work out again over the next couple of weeks.

3. Review your outline.Sometimes, no matter how much passion you have for your project, after days of wallowing in it and forcing words to come, you can get a little sick of your story. I find that going over my outline (even if it's just in my head) and picturing the story can get me hyped up about it again. Which translates into more words.

4. Remind yourself of your end-game. Maybe the next 10 Days will be difficult, but you will be 50,000...lets emphasize that: 50,000 words closer to finishing your book. Keep your eye on the prize!

5. Ask for family and friend support. Tell your spouse or kids not to let you get distracted until your words for today are written. Have them help keep you accountable. You could always bribe the kiddos with something like, "we can't go to the park until mommy/daddy finishes their work." Maybe that will get you some quiet time. You never know!

6. Don't be afraid to reward yourself. I'm certainly not above bribing myself to hit my word count. If I find my motivation lacking, I tell myself I can eat some chocolate, but not until I hit my daily goal. It really does work. Find out what works for you. Food? A walk? A favorite TV show? Do what it takes to hit your word count.

7. Give yourself a break. I don't know how everyone else is structuring their NaNo, but I don't write every single day. But if you DO, and one morning you just feel like you can't, and no motivation helps, don't be afraid to take a day off. Granted, you may have to write more later to make up your missed words, but taking a day off may re-charge your batteries enough to make it happen. Besides, burning yourself out completely won't get your novel written any sooner.

8. Watch this video. It's geared toward athletics, but will make you feel like you can do anything and everything on earth. (courtesy of youtube.com)

9. And this one from the LDS Storymakers Conference! It will make you want to write. A lot. FOREVER!!! (courtesy of youtube.com)

10. Just do it! Yeah, it's the Nike logo. And lots of athletes use it. But in truth, it goes for any goal and any profession. No matter how hard it is or how much you need a break, just stop complaining and do it.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Just a quick NaNo update today. I do have a Top Ten Tuesday post HERE if you want to read it or join our blog hop. This week's topic is top ten book recommendations. (What are yours?)As of yesterday, I've written 27,605 words this month for NaNoWriMo, which puts me at 41, 299 for the novel all together. I broke 40,000 yesterday! A-whoo-hoo! How's everyone else's NaNo going?

Monday, November 18, 2013

Happy Monday, Everyone! I have two orders of business today 1) NaNoWriMo Updates and 2) an invitation for historical fiction lovers!1) NaNoWriMo is going great! I was going to give a numbers update, but I didn't get as much writing done on Desolate Mantles over the weekend as I would have liked, so I think I'll wait until tomorrow. Hehe. I've had both troubles and good things, so I suppose I'll get a post or two out of my first NaNoWriMo experience. Stay tuned!2) As many of you know, I recently got the cover art for my forthcoming historical fiction set in Russia in the middle ages (see cover below). Citadels of Fire is set to hit shelves in May, but I should be getting ARCs for it in the next couple of months, and I'll be sending out requests for reviews.If anyone wants to beat the hype and would like the chance to review Citadels of Fire, send me an email at lkhillbooks@gmail.com and I'll be sure to include you when the ARCs arrive. Below is a blurb so you can decide if it's for you. I look forward to hearing from anyone interested!Well, have a great Monday, and a great week, everyone! Happy NaNoWriMo!

In a world where power is paid for in blood, no one ever aspires to more than what they were born to, and danger hides in plain sight, Inga, a maid in the imperial Russian palace, must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth.

Inga’s life in sixteenth century Russia is bleak until a man she crossed paths with as a child returns to the Kremlin. Taras is convinced his mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident and has returned to try and discover what really happened, all during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit on the throne of Russia.

While Taras only finds lies and silence where he seeks truth, Inga struggles with the feelings of oppression that have plagued her for most of her life. Taras gives her the chance to leave her loneliness behind forever, but the cost and future of such a liaison is uncertain and Inga is afraid.

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Happy Friday Everyone! We made it through the week! Who-hoo! My Follow Friday post is HERE at Musings on Fantasia if you want to see it, or join our blog hop. As for NaNo, as of today I've written 17, 537 words for NaNoWriMo, which puts me at 31, 231 for the novel. I've written 9 chapters out of 24. As you can see, though I'm still running a bit behind on my NaNo word count, I'm chugging right along.

How has everyone else done with NaNo this week? Got any fun weekend plans?

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

So my NaNoWriMo is progressing nicely. I wrote 3759 words yesterday, which puts me at 16062 words for NaNo and 29756 for Desolate Mantle. It's coming along beautifully and as I speed toward the climax, I get more and more excited about it.Meanwhile, I actually managed to see not one but two movies this weekend. One, Thor: Dark World, is reviewed below. The other, Ender's Game, is reviewed HERE, on my other blog, if you want to check it out.

So. Thor: Dark World is the second installment for this Marvel (not including the ensemble effort of The Avengers).I gotta say, I loved it! I've heard some bad reviews of this one, but don't listen to them. Maybe this isn't the next Oscar contender, but it was just all kinds of fun.This picks up two years after the fist installment (fitting) and Thor's been away from earth that long, except for the pit stop he made in New York to help his fellow Avengers. He has Heimdall, the yellow-eyed gate man, keep tabs on Jane, though, and when she mysteriously disappears from his sight, he goes to find her.Jane has stumbled onto the dark aether (pronounced ether) and suddenly Thor has no choice but to take her to Asgard. You know, to meet the folks.What ensues is adventure, romance, and hilarity. In short, everything expected from super hero films these days. Chris Hemsworth encapsulates the princely god wonderfully, as usual. (Who's his personal trainer, btw?). And yes, ladies, there is a shirtless moment. Tom Hiddleston returns to play Loki with that psychotic hyena smile of his, though we love him anyway. In fact, much of the comedy is due to him. Other favorites, including Jane's intern Darcy, who also has her own, unpaid intern now, return with lots of comedy. (Darcy's intern is a guy who can totally scream like a girl. Not saying more than that, though.) I think the only character I was somewhat disappointed in was Jane's. I'm not a huge Natalie Portman fan, despite liking several of her films. But I really loved her in the first Thor film. She did such a great job. Every time anything awkward happened, like hitting the hot god with her car (you'll remember it happened several times) her expressions were just priceless. There was so much endearing comedy in that, and it was almost completely done away with in this installment. She's still spunky. In fact, she gets to full-on slap both Thor and Loki across the face. It was funny, but not as effective, in my opinion as her previous, utterly mortified facial contortions. Just sayin'.I thought the plot was great. There was plenty of angst and tragedy. We got to see more of Asgard, which was fun. Kind of like the second novel of a dystopia where you get to see more world-building? Yeah, kind of like that.And I gotta say, I totally loved the entire Reno Russo exchange. Remember, Asgard is a place where the women are warriors, too. Even if they aren't in the army or anything, they all know how to fight. Let's just say we get to see Rene kick some serious butt, and I totally loved it!The bad guys were pretty one-dimensional, but evil enough to be effective. I really loved the way it all played out. So, I'd definitely recommend this one to everyone. Just a fun romp with lots of eye candy, but still packs enough emotional punch to tug at you. Just remember to stay until after the credits again! There are some credits, and then an extra scene. Then you have to wait all the way until the end. After the final studio emblems and after the theater lights come on! Trust me, it's worth it. Describe the extra scenes in four words, you say? Okay! "Awesome kiss" ...and... "frolicking creature." Not necessarily at the same time, though.Come on, now you have to go see it just to find out what I'm talking about, right? Well, go for it, and have fun when you do. I might just have to go see it again myself. :DHas anyone else seen Thor? What did you think of it?

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

I didn't mention it yet, I don't think, but I'm trying to finish the second book in my Street Gamesseries for NaNo. I'd started writing it before November, but I only had about 5,000 words. I think it will be longer than 55,000--more in the 70-90,000 range, but I think I can finish it, or if not that, come very close.I'm tentatively calling book 2 Desolate Mantle.Yesterday, I wrote 4898 words, which puts me at 12303 for NaNo and 25,997 for the novel. Here's the info onbook 1, Dark Remnants. It's currently priced at $0.99, though that will probably change when I finish book 2. You can get it on Amazon, B&N, or Smashwords.

In the most dangerous city in the country, one controlled by a sadistic gang called the Sons of Ares, Kyra Roberts is searching the deep places for someone… Kyra has come to Abstreuse city to find someone she’s lost, but walking the underbelly—a dark alley system residents call the Slip Mire—even in disguise, is rife with dangers. Kyra must stay on her toes if she intends to live. After crossing paths several times with the same detective, she wonders if his work and hers might be connected. Gabe Nichols has worked homicide in Abstreuse for three years. Dead prostitutes and gang violence are part of the night shift. When a woman who looks like a street junkie but acts like an intellectual saves his life, he’s intrigued. Another woman shows up at his crime scene, and Gabe’s instincts kick into high gear when she clams up. Two cases involving strange women who won’t tell what they know are too coincidental. If Gabe and Kyra can’t find a way to collaborate, they may not live to see the sunrise. Doomed, like so many others, to become gray, unmarked graves in a forgotten fracture of the Slip Mire.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Good Monday Morning, All! I hope everyone had a safe, wonderful weekend. I was quite busy, though happily, I managed to accomplish plenty of work and also play a little. My sister and I did some early Christmas shopping and tons of holiday planning, but we also saw not one, but two films Yea! I don't think I've been to the movies since the summer. The last thing I remember seeing in the theaters was The Great Gatsby, and that was quite some time ago!

Anyway, this post is just to say good morning, wish everyone a great week, and also say that my posts for the rest of the month will probably more sparse than usual. I don't think I mentioned it at all last week, but I"m participating in NaNoWriMo. I had a fairly normal posting schedule last week, but that's only because I wrote up most of last week's posts days before NaNo started. Now, I'm in the thick of it, already behind on my word count, and the holidays are coming at us faster than I can believe.

So...if I'm a bit absent over the next few weeks--less commenting, less interaction, and the like--that's why. I may do simple, paragraph-long posts each day to give updates on NaNo and other small things, but that's all. For right now, I have 7,405 words written. A bit behind, as you can see (I should have roughly double that by now) but I hope to get caught up this week. Wish me luck! So, everyone have a great week, good luck to everyone participating in NaNo, and wish me luck as well!Cheers! :DAnyone else doing NaNo? How's it going?

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Thoughts for Thursday is a new feature hosted by Musings on Fantasia and LKHill.In this meme, we share thoughts or quotes that we know or have recently come across. Each week there is a specific subject or theme. These can be quotes from books, quotes by famous people, (quotes by YOU, perhaps ;D). Anything from anywhere is game, though we do ask that you keep your quote to a few sentences at most. Don't quote, for example, entire passages of a book or essay. These can be funny quips, cool sayings, hair-raising antidotes, movie lines, any kind of quote you can think of!Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!I can't believe the holiday are upon us! Where has the year gone? I'll probably do a special Thanksgiving T4T, but today I thought I might just focus on Gratitude in general, since we all ought to practice it all through the holidays. (For even more quotes, visit my other blog.)

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

A whaw-hoo! It's finally arrived! The cover art for Citadels of Fire, Book 1 of the Kremlins trilogy. Citadels of Fire is slated for release on May 27, 2014. This has been SO long in coming. For details on why I've been waiting for four years to see this cover, read THIS POST.Meanwhile, without further ado, here is the Citadels of Fire cover and description. Below is the original press release from Jolly Fish Press, Inc. I'd appreciate all the help I can get in sharing, tweeting, and posting this cover! Hope everyone loves it as much as I do!

In a world where power is paid for
in blood, no one ever aspires to more than what they were born to, and danger
hides in plain sight, Inga, a maid in the imperial Russian palace, must find
the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth.

Inga’s life in sixteenth century
Russia is bleak until a man she crossed paths with as a child returns to the
Kremlin. Taras is convinced his
mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident and has returned to try
and discover what really happened, all during the reign of Ivan the Terrible,
the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit on the throne of Russia.

While Taras only finds lies and
silence where he seeks truth, Inga struggles with the feelings of oppression
that have plagued her for most of her life. Taras gives
her the chance to leave her loneliness behind forever, but the cost and future
of such a liaison is uncertain and Inga is afraid.

Up against the social confines of
the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual
politics of the Russian imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their
past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life
within the four walls that tower over them, or they may end up like so many
citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of
the Kremlin wall.

JFP Press Release:

PROVO, UT—Jolly Fish Press (JFP) is proud to announce the successful acquisition of L. K. Hill's stunning historical novel, Citadels of Fire, the first installment in Kremlins, a three-book series depicting the rise and fall of fifteenth-century Russia under the violent rule of Ivan the Terrible.

Following the literary traditions of Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth and Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring, Citadels of Fire chronicles the unexpected turn of events that transpire within the walls of the Kremlin through the eyes of a palace maid as she is unwillingly pulled into the dangerous web of political espionage, royal scandals, rebellion, and savage wars, in her pursuit of love and a better life outside of the palace walls.

In Citadels of Fire, Hill captures the grandeur of Russia in her meticulous description of a country that is both breathtaking and desolate, leaving the reader with the appetite for more, yet the fear of what comes next.Hill has a degree from Weber State University, and has won numerous writing awards, including garnering first place in the 2011 League of Utah Writer Writing Contest. Citadels of Fire is slated for a Fall 2013 release. (Source)

This blog is dedicated to anything that moves me. I write about what's going on in the writing community, fiction, historical tidbits, story ideas, and more. I welcome questions, comments, and discussion!

About Me

I'm a novelist who writes across three genres: fantasy/sci-fi, historical fiction, and crime drama. I live in northern Utah and come from a large, tight-knit family. I love to bake, read, and watch plenty of T.V. And I plan to keep writing until they nail my coffin shut. Or the Second Coming happens. You know, whichever happens first. ;D